Application Process

Unlike Skilled Migration there is no Points Test requirements for the Business Skills visa subclasses.

Applicants must meet criteria which generally relate to:

• Age;
• English Language Ability;
• Business Career;
• Net Personal and Business Assets; AND
• Other business/employment/investment related criteria are required dependent on subclass.

You can apply outside Australia or in Australia, but you must lodge your application at one of the 3 specialised Business Skills Processing Centres in either Hong Kong, Taipei or Perth, depending on where you reside.

After you have been granted a visa in the Business Skills (Provisional) category, you must either establish or buy into a business in Australia or maintain a designated investment for 4 years, depending upon which visa subclass you apply under.

After you have successfully operated a business for 2 years or maintained your designated investment for 4 years, you will be eligible to apply in Australia for a permanent Business Skills (Residence) visa.

High-calibre business migrants sponsored by State/Territory governments may be able to apply for a direct permanent Business Talent (Migrant) residence visa. In order to be assessed as a high-calibre business person, you must be under 55 years of age, you need to be a business owner of an enterprise with an annual turnover of at least AU$3 million, have net business assets of at least AU$400,000 and have AU$1.5 million available for transfer to Australia to set up your business.

The pathways to permanent residence give clarity and certainty to provisional business migrants who must establish and manage a genuine business activity in Australia within the validity of their provisional visa.

The Business Talent (Migrant) and the Business Skills (Residence) visas are permanent visas allowing permanent stay in Australia with a resident return facility valid for 5 years from the date of grant.